Causes and Occurrences of Amniotic Banding

Causes and Occurrences of Amniotic Banding

By Joanne Green

Amniotic Banding happens when there is a rupture in the amniotic sac during gestation, removing the protective barrier of the amniotic sac from between the placenta and the developing fetus. Exactly why the amniotic sac ruptures is largely unknown. Theories are that it can be caused by trauma, or infection, or possibly even malformation of the structures. How often an amniotic sac ruptures in a pregnancy is unknown. This is because in the majority of those cased, the child is likely to be spontaneously aborted. It is when the child does NOT miscarry, but rather grows to viability that we see amniotic banding.

Amniotic banding (or Constriction Band Syndrome or Sequence) is thought to occur in one of every 10,000 live births (one in 5,000 births including non-viable still births). It appears to be sporadic in nature - having no apparent genetic base. Therefore, if one child in a family is born with amniotic banding, there is no reason to believe that a subsequent child will be born with the same condition. Nor is there any reason to believe that a person born with amniotic banding will produce a child with amniotic banding.

Index

Syndromes

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